Ghouls, clowns and candy-seeking kids filled East El Paso as colorful floats and costumed participants rolled through the streets for the 41st annual KLAQ Halloween Parade.
Attendees lined the parade route on Saturday, Oct. 31, holding out bags and buckets as participants tossed candy, though some treats landed in puddles instead.
Connie Hernandez, parade coordinator for KLAQ 95.5 FM and Townsquare Media, said this marked her 39th parade. It began with a few cars and one or two bands but has grown into a community celebration drawing an estimated 20,000 people, she said.
A participant dressed as a clown hands out candy to kids during the 41st annual KLAQ Halloween Parade on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in El Paso, Texas.
People came dressed as clowns, pirates, horror movie villains and cartoon characters. Even dogs wore costumes.
“It just grows every year and it’s always amazing how creative people are,” Hernandez said.
She said some people who came with their parents 30 years ago now bring their own children.
Attendees reach for candy during the 41st annual KLAQ Halloween Parade on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in El Paso, Texas.
“We’ve just kept the tradition going as a community event, because everything is free to the public, and it’s just an awesome way to celebrate Halloween,” Hernandez said.
Families spent the Halloween afternoon watching bands, collecting candy and showing off their costumes.
The only time the parade changed its theme was after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, she said. Organizers called it “Red, White and Boo,” and people mixed their Halloween costumes with American flags and red, white and blue.
El Paso celebrates Halloween at the 41st annual KLAQ parade
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A folklórico dancer wearing Día de los Muertos makeup performs during the 41st annual KLAQ Halloween Parade on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in El Paso, Texas. (Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times)
Gaby Velasquez may be reached at gavelasquez@elpasotimes.com; @gabyavelasquez on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Ghouls just wanna have fun at El Paso KLAQ Halloween Parade